The traditional notion of job security, where employees stay with one company for their entire career, has become increasingly rare. Long-term employment is no longer a guarantee.
It’s now more important than ever to secure your career outside of your job if you want to stay ahead of the game. With the advancements of technology, the internet, and globalisation most people have taken the opportunity and ownership to secure their career outside their 9 to 5 jobs. This means they are not just depending on a job to secure their career they are building personal brands, businesses and networking with the world. There is so much power expressing your skills in your chosen career without waiting for a company to validate or vouch for you.
How can you do this for yourself and secure your career outside of a job?
While a job may provide a sense of stability, it often pays just enough to keep employees from leaving. Rather than true security, it creates dependency on a single income source, which can be risky. Financial security, on the other hand, comes from diversifying income streams and building resilience against unexpected changes especially when you have children who depend on you.
The first step is to break down and segment how your career can be leveraged into a business that provides value by educating, entertaining or selling relevant products.
Careers outside of a job can be transformed into businesses or side hustles.
| Fireman | Fire Safety Training for Schools |
| Teacher | Online Tutor / Subject Summer School |
| Marketing Assistant | Marketing Audits for Small Businesses |
| HR | Career Coaching / CV Reviewing / Consulting |
| Receptionist | Virtual Personal Assistant |
| Chef | Catering / Private Chef |
| Recruitment Consultant | Niche Recruitment Agency |
| Finance Manager | Financial Blog / Courses / Guides |
| Barman | Create your own drink / host cocktail evenings |
Sell your personality and skills to build a personal brand.
A great example I’ve witnessed is a dental nurse who used her experience and turned it into a personal brand. She was selling her knowledge to multiple practices and teaching other dental nurses. She built her authority across a network of dental businesses securing her career without settling for a single source of income or job.
Grow your career network beyond your boss and colleagues.
If we go back 10 or 20 years ago your reach within your chosen career only extended to your boss or colleagues. These days you can network with someone within your field from a different company, in a different country and expand your career opportunities. The market is truly connected with platforms such as LinkedIn, Xing and Facebook.
Securing your career can be put into writing, voice, or video.
This very blog post is a way I’m securing my career as a financial coach. Documenting your skills, strengths and expertise is a very popular method to earn additional income while solidifying a presence in your field. It’s no longer about being the best in one company, you can leverage your career opportunities by writing articles, blogs, or books.
Podcasting is another method people are utilising to grow and build personal brand businesses through voice. If people find you engaging and relate to a path you are on they’ll be willing to listen.
Finally, video platforms such as YouTube have opened up the doors to transform people’s careers into creative ventures while securing their future. I’ve seen all types of professions such as dentists, doctors, psychologists, chefs, builders, estate agents, plumbers, and nurses post videos about everything and anything to do with their profession.
Job security as we knew it may be a thing of the past but securing your career is achievable.
Through adaptability, continuous learning, creativity, and diversification of income sources. Both individuals and companies can thrive by embracing the new world of work. If you take time and thoroughly research your field you’d be surprised what you can come up with.
